# Yellow-crested cockatoo

> A white, yellow-crested cockatoo whose island populations need careful distinction. Feeding, nesting, and roosting trees complement efforts to prevent harmful trade.

Source: https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/yellow-crested-cockatoo/ · Updated 7 October 2026 · English · Bahasa Indonesia: https://panduanhewan.org/id/spesies/kakatua-kecil-jambul-kuning/
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**Review status:** Approved by team on 2026-10-07. Approval covers this version’s narrative, facts, quick answers and recorded locations in both languages.

## Quick answer

The yellow-crested cockatoo (*Cacatua sulphurea*) is a bird in the family Cacatuidae. Range in Indonesia: Selected Indonesian islands, including Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas. Diet: seeds, fruit, flowers and young leaves; a herbivore. IUCN Red List status: Critically Endangered. It is a legally protected species in Indonesia (Regulation P.106/2018).

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | *Cacatua sulphurea* |
| Indonesian name | Kakatua kecil jambul kuning |
| Group | Birds |
| Family | Cacatuidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Selected Indonesian islands, including Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas |
| Linked habitats | [Tropical Rainforests](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/tropical-rainforest/), [Mangroves](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/mangroves/) |
| Feature | White body and yellow crest |
| Habitat needs | Feeding, nesting, and roosting trees |
| IUCN status | Critically Endangered · [IUCN Red List (via GBIF)](https://www.gbif.org/species/2479893) · checked 1 October 2026 |
| Legal protection in Indonesia | Protected · [Regulation P.106/2018](https://jdih.kehutanan.go.id/new2/uploads/files/P_106_2018_JENIS_TSL_menlhk_07252019152513.pdf) · annex no. 260 |
| Population | 1,200–2,000 mature individuals (about 1,800–3,140 birds in total; 2016–2019 surveys) · [BirdLife International DataZone — Yellow-crested Cockatoo species factsheet](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-crested-cockatoo-cacatua-sulphurea) |
| Komodo population | Komodo Island holds a sizeable population of about 1,100 birds · [BirdLife International DataZone — Yellow-crested Cockatoo species factsheet](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-crested-cockatoo-cacatua-sulphurea) |
| Masakambing population | About 32 birds of the subspecies abbotti were recorded on Masakambing Island in April 2026 monitoring · [KSDAE / BBKSDA Jawa Timur — 32 Ekor Tersisa di Ujung Kepunahan (April 2026)](https://ksdae.kehutanan.go.id/publikasi/artikel/32-ekor-tersisa-di-ujung-kepunahan-populasi-kakatua-jambul-kuning-dari-masakambing-vXBlDV5I/) |
| Diet type | Herbivore (plant-eater) — seeds, fruit, flowers and young leaves · [BirdLife DataZone](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-crested-cockatoo-cacatua-sulphurea) |
| Reproduction | Laying eggs (oviparous) · [Vigie-Nature École (MNHN)](https://www.vigienature-ecole.fr/en/node/352) |
| Active | Diurnal (active by day) · [EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014, Ecology 95:2027), BirdFuncDat.txt](https://esapubs.org/archive/ecol/E095/178/BirdFuncDat.txt) |

## Similar names can describe different species

Cacatua sulphurea is smaller than the sulphur-crested cockatoo Cacatua galerita, which also has a yellow crest. Everyday names can be confused. Check scientific names in seizure or breeding reports before connecting those records with yellow-crested cockatoo populations.

Evidence: [Cornell Lab eBird — Yellow-crested cockatoo](https://ebird.org/species/yeccoc1)

## Trees serve different functions

BBKSDA East Java work on Masakambing distinguishes feeding, nesting, and roosting trees. Planting includes community land and mangrove areas. Habitat conservation therefore needs an understanding of tree functions, rather than only a count of seedlings planted.

Evidence: [BBKSDA Jawa Timur — Habitat management and monitoring on Masakambing (7 October 2024)](https://bbksdajatim.org/pembinaan-habitat-dan-monitoring-populasi-kakatua-kecil-jambul-kuning)

## Island populations need separate interpretation

Masakambing reports concern the subspecies abbotti. Records from that island do not describe all Cacatua sulphurea. When comparing reports, check island, subspecies, year, and method; introduced birds outside the native range do not establish recovery of source populations.

Evidence: [BBKSDA Jawa Timur — Habitat management and monitoring on Masakambing (7 October 2024)](https://bbksdajatim.org/pembinaan-habitat-dan-monitoring-populasi-kakatua-kecil-jambul-kuning) · [KSDAE — Masakambing population monitoring, April 2026](https://ksdae.kehutanan.go.id/publikasi/artikel/32-ekor-tersisa-di-ujung-kepunahan-populasi-kakatua-jambul-kuning-dari-masakambing-vXBlDV5I/)

## Observation methods influence counts

BBKSDA monitoring in 2026 discusses point-count limitations and the potential value of watching roost trees. Birds move, changing detection opportunities. Numbers seen on one visit should therefore be reported as observations rather than a complete census.

Evidence: [KSDAE — Masakambing population monitoring, April 2026](https://ksdae.kehutanan.go.id/publikasi/artikel/32-ekor-tersisa-di-ujung-kepunahan-populasi-kakatua-jambul-kuning-dari-masakambing-vXBlDV5I/)

## Reducing demand is more useful than buying

TRAFFIC identifies trade as an important pressure on this cockatoo. Avoid buying a bird to rescue it or release it yourself. For suspicious offers, use the wildlife-trade reporting guide; account details, time, and links can be supplied without arranging a transaction.

Evidence: [TRAFFIC — Restore Species trade work](https://www.traffic.org/what-we-do/thematic-issues/trade-monitoring/restore-species/)

## Scientific classification of the Yellow-crested cockatoo

| Rank | Name |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Cacatuidae |
| Genus | *Cacatua* |
| Species | *Cacatua sulphurea* |

Source: [GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/dataset/d7dddbf4-2cf0-4f39-9b2a-bb099caae36c)

## Common questions about the yellow-crested cockatoo

### What is the scientific name of the yellow-crested cockatoo?

The scientific name of the yellow-crested cockatoo is *Cacatua sulphurea*, in the family Cacatuidae. In Indonesian it is called Kakatua kecil jambul kuning.

### What kind of animal is the yellow-crested cockatoo?

The yellow-crested cockatoo is a bird in the family Cacatuidae. By diet it is a herbivore (plant-eater): a seeds, fruit, flowers and young leaves.

### Where does the yellow-crested cockatoo live in Indonesia?

In Indonesia, this guide records the yellow-crested cockatoo in: Selected Indonesian islands, including Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas.

Source-supported habitats: [Tropical Rainforests](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/tropical-rainforest/), [Mangroves](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/mangroves/).

### What does the yellow-crested cockatoo eat?

The yellow-crested cockatoo is a seeds, fruit, flowers and young leaves. That makes it a herbivore (plant-eater). Source: [BirdLife DataZone](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-crested-cockatoo-cacatua-sulphurea).

### How does the yellow-crested cockatoo reproduce?

The yellow-crested cockatoo reproduces by laying eggs (oviparous). Source: [Vigie-Nature École (MNHN)](https://www.vigienature-ecole.fr/en/node/352).

### Is the yellow-crested cockatoo nocturnal?

The cited source records the yellow-crested cockatoo as diurnal (active by day). Source: [EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014, Ecology 95:2027), BirdFuncDat.txt](https://esapubs.org/archive/ecol/E095/178/BirdFuncDat.txt).

See also [the list of nocturnal and diurnal animals in Indonesia](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/nocturnal-and-diurnal-animals/).

### What are the main features of the yellow-crested cockatoo?

Key features of the yellow-crested cockatoo, from this guide’s sources: Feature: white body and yellow crest.

### How large is the population of the yellow-crested cockatoo?

1,200–2,000 mature individuals (about 1,800–3,140 birds in total; 2016–2019 surveys). Source: [BirdLife International DataZone — Yellow-crested Cockatoo species factsheet](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-crested-cockatoo-cacatua-sulphurea). Wild population figures are estimates and can differ between surveys.

### What is the scientific classification of the yellow-crested cockatoo?

Scientific classification of the yellow-crested cockatoo: kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Aves, order Psittaciformes, family Cacatuidae, genus *Cacatua*, species *Cacatua sulphurea*.

Source: [GBIF Backbone Taxonomy](https://www.gbif.org/dataset/d7dddbf4-2cf0-4f39-9b2a-bb099caae36c), adjusted to the ranks commonly used in school biology.

### Is the yellow-crested cockatoo endangered?

Yes. On the IUCN Red List, the yellow-crested cockatoo is listed as Critically Endangered: it is considered to face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Source: [IUCN Red List (via GBIF)](https://www.gbif.org/species/2479893), checked 1 October 2026.

This global category is separate from national legal protection. [Is the yellow-crested cockatoo protected in Indonesia?](#protected)

### Is the yellow-crested cockatoo protected in Indonesia?

Yes. The yellow-crested cockatoo (*Cacatua sulphurea*) is a protected species in Indonesia under [Environment and Forestry Ministerial Regulation No. P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 on protected plant and animal species](https://jdih.kehutanan.go.id/new2/uploads/files/P_106_2018_JENIS_TSL_menlhk_07252019152513.pdf) (annex, entry 260).

Article 21(2) of Law No. 5 of 1990, as amended by Law No. 32 of 2024, prohibits anyone from hunting, catching, injuring, killing, storing, owning, keeping, transporting or trading a protected animal, alive or dead, including its body parts, eggs and nests.

If you see this animal being traded, kept or injured, contact the [local BKSDA office](https://panduanhewan.org/en/bksda-offices/).

### Can the yellow-crested cockatoo be kept as a pet?

No. Because the yellow-crested cockatoo is a protected species, catching, owning, keeping, transporting or trading it without a permit is prohibited by law. Trading without a permit through electronic media is also prohibited.

If you see this animal for sale or being kept, report it to the [local BKSDA office](https://panduanhewan.org/en/bksda-offices/).

## Sources & references

1. [Cornell Lab eBird — Yellow-crested cockatoo](https://ebird.org/species/yeccoc1)
2. [BBKSDA Jawa Timur — Habitat management and monitoring on Masakambing (7 October 2024)](https://bbksdajatim.org/pembinaan-habitat-dan-monitoring-populasi-kakatua-kecil-jambul-kuning)
3. [KSDAE — Masakambing population monitoring, April 2026](https://ksdae.kehutanan.go.id/publikasi/artikel/32-ekor-tersisa-di-ujung-kepunahan-populasi-kakatua-jambul-kuning-dari-masakambing-vXBlDV5I/)
4. [TRAFFIC — Restore Species trade work](https://www.traffic.org/what-we-do/thematic-issues/trade-monitoring/restore-species/)
5. [Peraturan Menteri LHK Nomor P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi](https://jdih.kehutanan.go.id/new2/uploads/files/P_106_2018_JENIS_TSL_menlhk_07252019152513.pdf)
6. [BirdLife International DataZone — Yellow-crested Cockatoo species factsheet](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-crested-cockatoo-cacatua-sulphurea)
7. [Vigie-Nature École (MNHN)](https://www.vigienature-ecole.fr/en/node/352)
8. [EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014, Ecology 95:2027), BirdFuncDat.txt](https://esapubs.org/archive/ecol/E095/178/BirdFuncDat.txt)
9. [GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (GBIF)](https://www.gbif.org/dataset/d7dddbf4-2cf0-4f39-9b2a-bb099caae36c)

## Further reading

[Cockatoo: facts, threats and conservation](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cockatoo/) — World Animal Rescue Network. A broader overview that covers this animal.

_Related site: PanduanHewan’s founder is also a director of World Animal Rescue Network._

## Keep exploring

- [Mangroves](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/mangroves/)
- [Tropical Rainforests](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/tropical-rainforest/)
- [Komodo dragon](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/komodo-dragon/)
- [Bali myna](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/bali-myna/)
- [Reporting Suspected Wildlife Trafficking](https://panduanhewan.org/en/emergency/report-wildlife-trade/)
- [Salmon-crested cockatoo](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/salmon-crested-cockatoo/)

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Cite: PanduanHewan. (2026). Yellow-crested cockatoo. PanduanHewan.org. https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/yellow-crested-cockatoo/